Rooting characteristics of spring barley in light textured pedons in South Estonia
2001
Kanal, A. (Estonian Agricultural Univ., Tartu (Estonia). Dept. of Soil Science and Agrochemistry)
In general there is a little published information available about the soil strength parameters of crop roots distribution. Spring barley root distribution has been studied twice on two sites with similar climatological conditions in South Estonia. The rainy summer was characterized for the 2001. In total 80, soil cores (V=703 cm (-3)) were determined by measuring ash free organic matter in kg (-1) soil in different 15 cm sections up to 75 cm soil depth. Two different soil textures were compared: sand and fine sandy loam. The maximum root concentration 480 mg kg (-1) was found in upper 0-15 cm layer of sandy loam, which is several times higher than in sand. Barley roots grew deeper-up to 75 cm in sandy loam, while in sand the maximum depth was only 45 cm. Independent from soil texture an average of 59 per cent total roots were found in the upper 15 cm layer at anthesis, wich by the stage of barley increased to 68 per cent for sandy loam and 77 per cent for sand. There is just one significant difference in root location between anthesis and harvesting - the decreasing roots in 30-45 cm depth in sandy loam. In general, the depth and distribution of roots were influenced by the available water and the physical characteristics of the soil. The decrease in root density and spatial heterogeneity is most pronounced for sandy soils and less so for sandy loam
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